midnight blue
by honeyshot
Summary: After the war is over, Harry and Draco return to Hogwarts only to find that silence between them doesn't work when something new and unexplained erupts between them.
1. I think i'm drowning

**I think I'm drowning**

A chill was resting in the castle in early-December. It felt like uninvited icy smoke suspended in the grounds. Students wore thick shirts and robes, clinging to their skins which were covered in prickling goosebumps. Everyone felt uncomfortably tight and rigid in their numb bodies and shifted through the mist in the corridors between lessons as quickly as possible, seeking refuge in dimly lit and warm classrooms.

No-one ever seemed to speak much to each other anymore, at least not out of the groups they were comfortable with. The post-war rumours created a tense invisible string constricting everyone's opinions of eachother. Nobody dared to defy it.

Potter and Malfoy's constant badgering had ended. In their extended eighth year at Hogwarts, a bizarre and silent mutual understanding had formed between them, accepting that it was best if they distanced themselves and stuck to their own world.

It unsettled Draco at first, though he could not give a solid explanation why.

***

Malfoy had been given a detention for turning a third year's robes inside out and watching him bob in midair. The boy had been shivering madly and shrieked repeated apologies at Malfoy. All for calling Draco a stupid ponce.

Malfoy walked through the darkness swallowing the castle on a bitter Tuesday night, strolling near windows so the dimness was obscurely royal blue. Malfoy could feel the light pouring generously onto his pale face from the night sky shimmering with scattered stars. The castle was still but extremely cold. Malfoy was shaking slightly as he glided across passages and down stairways. He saw the doorway to the room where he would have his detention. An inviting orange glow rested in the middle of the shaded entrance, hinting to a generous fireplace. Malfoy, staggered hastily forward, ready to embrace the warmth.

When Malfoy entered roaming darkness of the small spare classroom, he was unsure what to do or say when he saw Potter sitting on the other side of the room in the middle of a hazy glow, with his usual tousled hair and pouty expression.

Draco strolled over to Harry, watching him carefully to pick out any of his reactions so they could give some kind of indication to how Draco should act. The room was obviously silent, aside from the gentle echoing of the blonde's footsteps, as he passed through the shadows, and Harry's quill writing roughly. The closer he got to the many floating candles lit around Harry, the hotter Draco's face felt. He frowned slightly when a brand new purring voice inside him expressed that it might not have anything to do with the candles…

"Copying out old report cards for Filch." Potter said flatly, looking up briefly from the card his quill was scratching across, not meeting Draco's grey eyes.

Draco nodded stiffly and then felt dense since Potter was not looking up anymore. He scraped his dark chair backwards noisily and sat down opposite Potter, still watching his blank expression as Potter worked, pretending to be oblivious to Malfoy watching him. Draco reached out for a dark quill that had appeared next to the stack of old and new report cards and began working silently.

They sat for an hour, not saying a word to eachother. Draco kept glancing at Harry, hating the hush between them. It wasn't how they grew up together; they would have been squabbling aimlessly and retorting with ridiculous jeers a few years ago. Malfoy almost chuckled, picturing perfectly a pointy faced, platinum-blonde headed boy running in and out of the light. The young Draco was sneering menacingly at a small thin raven-haired boy who ran after him, glaring and shooting feeble green sparks from the end of his wand. They both ran on and were swallowed by the cloudy darkness.

Malfoy noted Harry looked at peace in the glow of the candle light, contrasting to how anxious and far-away he seemed during the day. His eyes remained on his work, so the shadows around his eyelashes made them vivid and denser against his skin. The pearly gold flush outlined his jaw and the dips in his face, making a gentle gloom over his features, enhancing them.

Draco kept fidgeting noisily, shifting in his seat, messing with his hair and rubbing the table for no reason.

He hated the silence and was trying to figure out why.

The unexplained heat that had draped over Draco at first had disappeared and the intense chill began to claw back. Draco's right arm felt stiff from the cold and writing so he stretched it outwards, sighing with relief when a comfortable twinge emerged in the centre of his arm. That's when Malfoy's and Harry's hands brushed.

Draco's fingers were frozen from the sour winter. Harry's were smooth and warm.

Something electrifying flickered. A spark shot up from Draco's fingertips and up his arm. The blast sent flutters to his stomach and jolts up his spine. Heat spread around his face again. Draco looked up at Harry due to the surprise of the sudden strikes running through him, especially since they were triggered by something so tiny and seemingly insignificant. It all happened in the space of a few seconds.

Malfoy pulled his arm back suddenly and gazed into Harry's bright green eyes, resting behind plain round glasses that reflected the hanging candlelight. Harry looked back, eyes wide and full of fast thoughts.

Malfoy felt like he was drowning. Malfoy saw it all, marks from the war that was plastered onto the whole magical world. Potter's tense, confused expression poured out everything for Malfoy without any hesitation, perhaps because they had affected the other in the war so much and this unspoken agreement between them layered so much more than a simple 'stay out of each other's way.' They had been through so much, too much, and Harry was a distinct reminder for Malfoy…therefore Malfoy must be a reminder for Harry.

The emerald pools were filled with sorrow, regret and reminiscing, stretching out from memories of long ago. Draco's stormy eyes echoed them back to him.

With a strange amount of difficulty, Harry unattached himself from the held gaze they had both just shared. He stared down at the blank square of parchment in front of him, dipped his quill into the ink pot and began copying out the text slowly.

Malfoy saw that there was definitely less flow in the way Potter was moving now. He knew the scanning look in Harry's eyes and why he was so tense; he was back to his old ways of over-thinking things. He was mirroring the way that Draco had been fidgeting. Harry's hair became somehow messier as he hastily moved his head between the blank parchment, old report card, inkpot and quill. He was biting his full lips furiously and kept squeezing his eyes shut as if he was having trouble seeing the clear writing in front of him. His left hand was balled into a fist and pressing firmly into the table. The candle light reflected an odd scar between Potter's knuckles and wrist which looked like words. Draco had heard about the detentions with Umbridge but didn't know it scarred Harry to this extent. The snug glow continued to engulf Harry, resting around his soft face and signature pout.

Malfoy's lips went dry when the new voice that had interrupted him when he entered the chamber mused about how good looking Potter was.

The candles shimmered slightly, drawing darkness closer briefly before pushing it away again.

Harry felt that Malfoy was still watching him. When Harry glanced up, he could not help but stop writing again when the smooth grey eyes latched back onto Harry's.

The way Malfoy looked aghast by what must have been his own thoughts amused Harry slightly. Harry had no choice but to smile at him. Malfoy gulped when the stars and flips in his stomach returned violently.

Malfoy cleared his throat to prevent himself sounding coarse when he said "How have you been, Potter?"

Harry's expression turned tense again and he looked away into the darkness surrounding the candlelight to his left. He replied "Distant."

Malfoy followed Potter's line of site, trying to make out the dark outline of desks in the shadows, and murmured "I know what you mean."

Harry looked fixatedly back at the blonde, who used every muscle in his body to not stare back. He did not want to loose his composure and begin helplessly drowning in Potter's striking green eyes again.

"But now I'm thinking, what's left for me?" Harry said, raising his eyebrows as he spoke.

Draco turned his head and fixed his eyes back at Harry's. It returned; the beautiful drowning and tingling sensation he got. Once again, the painful churning erupted in Draco's stomach, electric jerks shot up his back and caused Draco's cheeks to blaze furiously.

Malfoy frowned and leant forward as he said "There has to something though." It wasn't a question.

Harry hunched his shoulders, robes moving liquidly around them. The icy surroundings made the rub of cloth hurt slightly. Draco saw that his robes were an odd dusty blackened gold colour in the light. Harry also leaned forward, sending more uncomfortable eruptions and blasts through Draco's stomach.

Harry could feel Draco's soft breathing on his face and was taken aback when something tight and painful grabbed his stomach inside and turned it menacingly. Heat and sparks felt like the were erupting around Harry's cheeks and something strange wanted to push Harry's face more forward, perhaps to take in more of the gorgeous lustrous grey eyes,

But Harry had became good at one thing; wearing a mask. He did not gasp for air and widen his eyes like his instincts told him to, to portray his growing fiery emotions and state of supreme shock. Instead, he smiled, allowing it to crinkle his eyes and felt his stomach flip when Malfoy intensely watched his mouth move.

Both Harry's and Draco's pale skins were glowing with a light bronze tint of enchanted candlelight.

Potter said nothing as he scraped his chair back and left the room, entering freezing darkness with deep sapphire spilling from under the windows revealing the smooth winter night sky. Harry's eyes were wide, as he halted in front of a large arched window and gaped at the lake, reflecting the stunning star struck sky, feeling like his gaze was drowning in it. It rippled in the sharp breeze.

Trembling viciously, Harry thought to himself. A soft chime of birds in the distance blended with the landscape perfectly. Running his now shaking, icy fingers over the bottom of the window frame and shuddering from the piercing cold touch, Harry knew he was in serious trouble. It was pretty clear that the odd and powerful mutual understanding between Draco and himself may have gone a step too far.

***

**cody by mogwai**

for the chimes and lyrics


	2. asphyxiated

**asphyxiated**

The dark mornings of winter creates a gentle mist on the windows at Hogwarts. The space around every student feels clouded and icy so people keep their distance this early. Everyone squints to allow their eyes to adjust to the gradual light and shiver every now and then unrepentantly to the falling temperatures as the cold day continues.

Draco was leaning idly against the wall outside of Potter's charms classroom. He could hear Potter's distinctive voice conversing with Granger and Weasley inside. Draco ran his hands over the smooth walls, allowing the cold surface to tingle his fingertips. He had spent last night, thinking hard about this new revelation between himself and Potter and since he was unable to give it a name (since everything is easier to understand if it has a name) he decided to drag Potter away from his comfortable routine and force him to enter Draco's miserable confusing thoughts to help him shed some light. Draco inwardly shouted at the purring voice telling him he simply wanted to see Harry's handsome face pinched with pink from the still but raging cold of the morning.

The bell echoed through the school, disturbing the tranquillity. It indicated the start of break. Students poured out of classroom, glimpsing casually at Draco, camouflaging their expression cleverly with a polite questioning look as to why he was there.

When Harry's black messy hair appeared, Draco held his breath, expecting violent jolts to run through him once again. All he felt was a tight uncomfortable stir in the pit of his stomach. He reached out, fingers entering and slicing through the wrenching cold air to grab Potter's arm. Not knowing the reaction to expect, he spun Potter round.

Harry wrinkled his nose which was faintly rosy and he was sniffing slightly ('_makes him look oddly cute, doesn't it?' _the voice inside Malfoy's head purred.). Harry gaped slightly at Malfoy and then bit his bottom lip. A frizzy haired girl and gangly red head stood loyally at his sides. Draco glanced at them both, secretly dismissing their presence and forced himself not to laugh at how parallel their taken aback expressions were, before locking his eyes back on Harry's.

"We need to talk." Draco said flatly.

"Um." was all Potter had to say.

He groggily turned to Weasley and simply said "I'll catch up with you two then, yeah?"

Weasley looked at Harry in a way that made this sentence seem highly significant, like it had a grander meaning (Potter was probably basically saying "No need to kill him about this later" Draco thought). Weasley snaked his arm through the air behind Potter's back to tug on Granger's arm and pull her down the corridor. Granger made a big effort to look at Malfoy constantly with curiosity. Malfoy chuckled slightly in her direction, making her eyes widen and her eyebrows rise as the Weasel lugged her round the corner and out of site.

Draco shook his head slightly and said "I'm always under the impression that Granger knows too much."

Harry was looking at Draco sleepily and then swayed his head left to right in response. Draco raised his eyebrows and was about to ask what the fuck that meant before he grabbed Potter's arm and dragged him down the corridor. Potter eyes widened but said nothing. He just flinched through the cold air.

Draco brought him to a small alcove at the end of an abandoned corridor on the fourth floor. It was a shaded, slim space. Surprisingly, it was not significantly colder than any other area of the castle.

Potter looked at Draco, who was standing very close due to the lack of space. Harry swallowed and reached into his deep pockets, arms grazing the edge of Draco's robes, to withdraw his wand. He swished it quickly and cast a warming spell. Both boys sighed in relief and watched the other carefully for a moment (as they had both felt an uplifting whoosh in their chest that had nothing to do with the warming spell).

Harry hastily returned his wand before heaving in some warm arm. He said "Okay. I'm wide awake."

His eyelashes quivered as he looked into stormy eyes. Harry contemplated about the fact that him and Malfoy more or less the same height.

Draco sighed and blurted out "Did you feel it?"

Harry frowned and innocently said "What, you trying to wrench my arm off on the way here? Yeah a bi -"

"No, not that you dunce." Draco would have hit Harry if his arms were working properly. "Last night, when we-…the…" Draco's voice slipped and he simply gazed at Harry.

Harry exhaled and pressed on. "The…?"

But Harry stopped his pathetic sarcasm when he saw that Malfoy was leaning in further, panting slightly. When there was merely inches between their bodies, Harry closed his eyes since he would have hyperventilated if he stared at Draco's flushed swaying face for too long, especially in this proximity.

Draco saw that Harry had locked away his gorgeous green eyes. So he copied him. Now the only sensation was the magical heat surrounding them both, encasing them and making them separate from the rest of the school. Draco breathed in generous warm arm and smelt strong, heavy scents that must have been Harry. It was all he could smell now, like he was suffocating on it and entering somewhere wonderful and new. He was so close to Potter, he could distinguish the lush heat radiating off Harry's faintly tanned skin. Draco fluttered his eyes open briefly and sucked more air in when he realised they were closer than he thought. The side of Draco's nose was gently brushing the side of Harry's. The icy air could not intrude them.

When Malfoy breathed in again, he got the odd whiff of a certain dessert so he whispered "Why the fuck do you smell like treacle tart first thing in the morning?"

Harry whispered "Snuck it to my bedroom. Problem?" Draco had felt the tingling of Harry's breath on his own lips.

Draco smiled and breathed "Not at all." He pushed through the minuscule space between them to kiss Harry fully on the lips.

Harry literally melted into Malfoy, overwhelmed by how flushed he felt and how warm the atmosphere was around them. Draco's lips were soft and full, and pressing perfectly on his own. He knew that Draco must have tasted the treacle tart on his mouth. Draco was now gripping Harry's arms tightly, drawing him closer deepening the kiss. Harry raised his own arms and folded them fluidly around Draco's slim waist while Draco twisted his fingers through Harry's untidy hair. They both felt like they were floating away, away from common sense and reason. It made no sense. Not too long ago, Harry had been sitting helplessly on the Malfoy Manor floor, awaiting his fate but he was now kissing Draco. Harry felt Malfoy flick his tongue out sharply so he opened his mouth obediently and shivered slightly when he felt Draco's smooth wet muscle wind into his mouth. Soaring bliss took over as Harry forced his tongue forward to massage Malfoy's and explore Draco's mouth, tasting wonderfully like grapes.

Then something banged into Harry's head. This was Malfoy. The gorgeous boy he was kissing was Malfoy. A boy filled with hatred, conniving sick thoughts and a horrible history. Harry roughly put his arms on Draco's chest and pushed him away whilst scanning the floor, avoiding his startling grey eyes.

Draco gazed at Harry, side tracked by how flustered and tussled he looked. Harry unwillingly looked at Draco, who diverted his attention to Harry's devastatingly green eyes as they gleamed with reluctant longing. He barely noticed when Harry tried to sound as frank as possible as he said "No" and began stumbling rapidly down the corridor away from the alcove.

Draco felt slightly amused for a split second before shock poured through him. He boomed "NO?" a tad too high pitched. Draco ran up in front of Harry. He rammed Harry's shoulders hard against the wall opposite the window and tried to hold off Harry's fidgeting and protesting.

Cold air poured into all of their senses, adding to the discomfort as Harry squirmed and shoved, trying to push Draco away from him. Malfoy swiftly held Potter's hands tightly in his own before pinning them on either side his head. Potter gasped as the burning icy wall pressing into the backs of his hands. Potter's bent arms tugged manically, trying to break Malfoy's hold. Draco shoved his elbows into Harry's arms to pin them sharply in to the wall, earning a pained whine from Harry. The panting Malfoy grinned maliciously as he also pushed his knees deep into Harry's legs, restraining every possible movement. Malfoy had to bite his bottom lip as he watched Potter whine again.

Malfoy smirked as he nuzzled Harry's neck, yearning for his body heat. He felt the desperate pants brushing the top of his head. Draco rested his chest against Potter's, moving against it gently as it heaved in and out.

Harry's was in pain. The more he tried to push away, the harder Draco pinned him against the horrifically icy wall. He wanted to run in the opposite direction and turn away from these feelings and this new magnetising pull he felt towards Draco Malfoy. Bruises were surely emerging on his wrists, arms and legs.

But a concerned voice spoke inside him. _'But you're not __**really**__ trying to push him away. You're not fighting him off now at all.'_

Harry winced from pain, the frosty wall and the fact that he silently agreed.

Before he knew it, Harry was heaving even more (and barely holding back a blissful groan) as Draco trailed his nose gently up his neck. Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head when Malfoy traced the line back with the cold tip of tongue. Harry shivered as a chilly blaze of pleasure ran down his body and rested between his shaking trapped legs.

Malfoy loosened his grip slightly, knowing Potter would not push him away. He ran his tongue gently over Harry's jaw and up to his ear lobe. Potter was moaning quietly and unwillingly. He tried to free his hands again. But only his hands. Blood was pumping all over Harry's body, fighting the cold surrounding them. Harry whimpered as Malfoy sucked on a sensitive part under Harry's ear. Draco pressed his hips against the boy underneath him, winning a long low groan from Harry.

"Mmmmm."

The bitter cold seemed to disappear when Draco's voice emerged right in Harry's ear, making Harry shake uncontrollably and push his hips forward, onto the blonde, moaning from the building friction.

Malfoy smiled and allowed his lips to brush on Harry's ear as he spoke softly. "Doesn't sound like a no to me, _Harrrrrryy_."

The purring voice took over on the last word, causing Harry to groan uncontrollably as he felt his rising erection in his trousers, pressing into Draco's obvious growing bulge.

That was the last straw.

Harry wrenched his right arm free and elbowed Draco in the chest, causing him to scramble backward onto the icy floor with a _thump. _Harry didn't look back as he stalked away from Malfoy. He shivered as usual from the freezing morning air but he still felt hot blood pumping to his flushing face.

As Harry walked quickly towards the library to find Ron and Hermione, he thought carefully about the spell Ron had told him about that makes you 'turn-off' as Ron called it. Remembering it, he reached into his robes, wincing as his hands rushed through the coarse icy air. He pulled his wand out and muttered the incantation. Harry sighed with strange relief when the painful tightness in his trousers disappeared as he turned a corner and headed towards the library entrance.

But then Harry reached up his hand and touched his lips.

He could still taste the grapes from Malfoy's tongue.

xxxxx

Malfoy lay on the floor, frowning to himself. He propped himself up and stalked through the jagged icy corridor back to alcove. He recreated Harry's warming spell as he leaned his forehead against the side curved wall, sighing from the contrasting cold surface. He rubbed his chest and winced slightly from the unexpected sharp pain in the centre where Potter had elbowed him.

He left the comfort of the warmth and plunged back into the frozen castle, which had realms of faint growing light seeping in through the windows. The temperature rose ever so slightly on the side of Draco's body whenever he passed a window.

Without realising where his feet where taking him, Draco thought about Potter.

'_It's always going to be Potter now…isn't it?" the voice purred._

Draco's own voice spoke in his mind. '…Yeah…I guess so.'

'_Was it inevitable?'_

Draco froze outside the entrance. He racked his brains to remember the password and muttered it darkly when it flooded back to him. He stalked through the dingy green light floating on the edges of the surprisingly warm common room and launched himself into a plush dark seat next to Zabini who was reading a thick charms text book with a dark midnight blue velvet cover.

Blaise glanced briefly towards Malfoy, recognising the bright blonde hair and registered who it was. He muttered "I had a feeling it wouldn't quite work."

Zabini could practically feel the menacing scowl that was thrust in his direction. He said nothing and turned a page on his book, allowing Draco to return to his stupid pathetic thoughts.

Draco leant forward toward the fireplace in front of him and watched as it flickered and danced uncontrollably. The heat rested indifferently on Malfoy's pale face, adding to the unwanted comfort indulging through him. The flames reflected perfectly on Draco's glass-like grey eyes. They churned beautifully between colours of orange, yellow and crimson. It nastily reminded Draco of Gryffindor.

Malfoy absent-mindedly touched his lips.

He could still taste the treacle tart from Potter's tongue.

**Clair De Lune**

Effortlessly beautifully every time.

The sudden yet perfect build up and the tranquillity in this music is something I wish I had in my writing.


	3. i wanna break this spell

**i wanna break this spell...that you've created**

The library was thankfully very warm, when Harry entered. A soft bustling whisper surrounded him, coming from various students positioned around dark wooden tables or alone in dim brown chairs placed near hazy reading lamps. The library was wide and always had an inviting wave of comfort from the several fireplaces situated along the far walls. Harry understood why people like Hermione, constantly engrossed in their accurate speculations, would find salvation in places like this. Remembering why he had entered this area of the castles, Harry scanned the room. He noticed startlingly red hair in the far corner behind a gap in a bookshelf and headed towards it. The anticipation of Hermione and Ron's questions built up inside of Harry, getting steadily more dreadful the closer he got to his two close friends.

They were sitting quietly around a small circular table, but an atmosphere of a conversation hastily silenced when they saw Harry approaching lingered, from the way Hermione and Ron repeatedly glanced at each other. Harry slumped uneasily into the waiting chair to the left of Hermione, who was reading Transfiguration notes, and right of Ronald, who was aimlessly reading his thick dark blue Charms textbook. The three friends sat in forced silence for several minutes.

Harry leant back and listened to his chair creak, scanning the shelves beside him. He looked over the neatly placed books, some with chunks of fabric missing in the binds and others with large and oddly coloured stains on them. He hated the murmuring flowing past his ears indifferently and found them off-putting.

Harry felt that his entire expression was tense as he thought about Malfoy. He then experienced an awkward twinge of guilt as he rembered pushing him off him and causing the shocked and extremely hurt look that Draco had sent his way. Harry could help but remember Malfoy's electric touch and now he wanted nothing more than to find him; to both kiss him and punch him in the face. Naturally, he was quite unable to relax.

Harry began sweeping his eyes over a thick dark red book bind that looked like it had been cut with a jagged knife. Ron was drumming four fingers on the table as he vaguely turned the pages in his book. Hermione kept fidgeting as she kept glancing at Harry, becoming more and more worried. She spoke through the strange tension that had emerged between them.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione finally said, openly looking up from her notes. Her tone was flat and frank…more so than usual. Ron stopped drumming his fingers to look up.

Harry turned his body away from the bookshelf slowly and placed all four legs on his chair back to the wooden floor with a soft _clunk_. He traced his finger over one of the patterns on the wood of the table while shaking his head, holding back a grimace. Suddenly, he remembered Hermione and Ron had seen him with Malfoy and his hands started shaking slightly as he started to panic silently. He balled both hands into fists and pressed his knuckles into the table. When this caused the unsteady table to shake quite noisily, he twined his fingers together and focused hard on trying to steady his trembling hands. He licked his dry lips nervously before he began speaking.

"Nothing Herm'…N-Nothing." He tried to smile at her but ended up making a fake painful sneer instead. Feeling how taunt his muscles felt from the strange expression, Harry then pressed his lips hard together, trying to look as blank as possible.

Hermione widened her eyes when she saw Harry trembling so much. She glanced at Ron who caught her eye; he seemed as equally taken aback. Hermione placed her notes carefully on the circular table and smoothed the top parchment before continuing, breathing deeply and moving fluidly to try and keep the atmosphere calm and stop Harry from panicking so much. Hermione's dark chocolate eyes looked into Harry's intently yet kindly for answers. Harry hated it when she did that. He tried instead to focus on the whispers surrounding them but he no longer found them distracting.

"Do you recall something I said to you around a week ago?" She said in one breath. She slowed down and titled her head slightly when she carried on. "In Potions?"

Harry bit his lips and blinked slightly before gazing at his hands.

He remembered.

"_Harry? Haaarry?" Hermione's gentle voice said in Harry's ear, shaking his shoulder slightly when he didn't look up straight away._

"_Hmm?" He said, turning his watchful eye from his Potion that he was giving his hundred percent (since he was sick of receiving Ps and didn't have Snape's hatred towards him to blame.)_

"_Okay. I don't want you to freak out and for __**God's sake**__, pleeease be subtle." Hermione said biting her lip when she finished speaking._

_Harry chuckled slightly whilst stirring his Potion precisely and said "Subtle is my middle name."_

_Hermione's eyes narrowed as she ignored his heavy sarcasm. She then said very quietly "I believe that…that Draco Malfoy has been…staring at you for the last fifteen minutes."_

"_WHAT?" Harry hissed slightly too loudly as he began to crane his neck around Hermione's crazy hair to look at the Slytherin for himself. Hermione grabbed the sides of Harry's messy black hair painfully, forcing him to look her straight in the eye._

"_STOP IT." She hissed, almost turning round to check Draco's reaction but she was positive a curious expression must have emerged._

_She let go of Harry's hair, and spoke quietly as he rubbed the sides of his head, screwing his eyes dramatically to seem in pain. "I've noticed it before, but I simply dismissed it…but it's kind of getting obvious. I'm quite positive now, that, Malfoy simply likes you."_

_Harry dropped his hands to his laps and stared at Hermione's slightly amused smile, knowing that her tone was filled with honesty. He opened and closed his mouth several times before saying in one ragged breath "andwhyexactlyshouldIcare?"_

_Harry turned extremely quickly to refocus his attention on his Potion and complicated ingredients but his over enthusiasm to turn away from Hermione caused his glasses to fly off his face and land in the cauldron. The once navy water, bubbling happily, turned a nasty shade of thick murky brown. Harry winced when he heard the unmistakable sound of loud crunching glass as violent black sparks flew out of the cauldron. Hermione, who was trying to stifle her laughter, fished out her wand and tapped the pot. _

_With an even louder crunching noise, the mixture swelled and squeezed out a pair of extremely squashed and stained glasses. Harry watched it float out of the potion and land gently on the table, leaving bits of glass still mixing in the cauldron._

_Harry looked at Hermione with a carefully constructed blank face and said "This is what happens when I decide to give a fuck about Potions." Hermione bursts out laughing as she tapped the glasses and began mending them._

_But then Harry felt a eccentric rushing feeling through his chest when he heard an unmistakable low chuckle from someone hidden behind Hermione's head._

Hermione took a deep breath, waiting for Harry's reply.

But Harry said nothing. He just stared at his hands and could see a faint bruise emerging on his wrist where Malfoy had gripped him.

Looking up, he saw Ron open his mouth to say something so Harry snatched his dark sapphire book from the table and pretending to start reading the chapter on new incantations they had been assigned to learn.

Hermione exhaled and carefully asked, trying to sound merely interested "Where did you and Malfoy go?"

Harry slammed the book on the table at the same time the school bell went, sending horrible echoes around him as he left the library. He wanted to swear at Ron when he sniggered and knowingly said "Aaah…"

xxxxx

Hermione and Ron did not question Harry for the rest of the morning, which gradually became warmer. All pupils still walked around wearing oddly thick robes but were not shivering continuously. Bright light, reflecting over melting layers of snow on the school grounds, drifted into the school. So bright, it gave nearly everyone a headache.

xxxxx

At lunch, Harry walked at their side through the entrance to the Great Hall. However, he glanced unconsciously to his right and then significantly sped up and stared fixatedly at the Gryffindor table, moving hastily through the vivid light pouring in through the enchanted ceiling. Hermione and Ron glanced in the same direction that Harry had briefly diverted his attention and saw a platinum blonde boy watching Harry miserably.

Ron was chuckling quietly, his shaking shoulders giving him away, and Hermione had to hit him as they sat opposite Harry, who had stiffly placed himself on the bench with his back to the Slytherins. Hermione felt a strange amount of symathy towards Malfoy, since he was absent-mindedly gazing at Harry, looking like nothing could possibly get worse for him.

As the trio ate, Ron unsubtly looked over Harry's left shoulder whenever Harry glanced up at him. The fifth time he did this, Harry had had enough. He flicked his wand sharply and caused Ron's face to fall and be glued into his pasta. Harry became even more annoyed when he saw Ron started laughing uncontrollably. Suddenly, a force pushed the back of Harry's head as Ron swished his own wand and sent Harry straight into his cold beans.

Hermione snatched the two wizards' wands as both their loud laughs muffled through their food. She refused to unglue their faces...until Harry banged his fists childishly on the table, but with his ridiculous strength, it caused nearly every single goblet and plate on the whole table to clatter manically.

xxxxx

"Can I ask you something?" Blaise asked, not looking up from his pasta.

"Go on then…" Draco said, eyes flickering between Blaise's face and the back of Harry's head.

Blaise latched his dark eyes with Draco's smoky grey ones, as he shifted to his left, blocking Harry from Draco's view. Draco looked at Blaise angrily and began muttering loudly and darkly as he poked his sandwich with no intention of eating it.

Blaise sighed when Draco shot his eyes up suddenly when he heard Potter's carrying distinctive laugh echo through the glowing Great Hall. Draco looked down again and started tapping the table, this time not speaking as he waited patiently for Blaise to continue.

"Better. Now, I was just wondering, why were so full of shock after your little detention with Potter? I mean you knew you liked him so…" Blaise waved his hands lazily, gesturing to Draco to continue and enlighten him.

"I knew I liked him for whatever fucked up reason." Draco muttered, looking down at the table sadly, running his pale finger over the edge of his plate as Blaise watched him. "I just…didn't now I wanted him quite so badly that it felt like someone shoved a singe in my back when my hand _accidentally _brushed his."

Draco realised how pathetic this made him sound and was consumed by an odd feeling of utter amusement so he looked up and smirked widely at Blaise, who smiled back. But it was not an amused smile Draco received back. It was one filled with pity and understanding. So Draco returned to looking down, being defeated and wishing that the ground would swallow him. Blaise dug his fork into his pasta, knowing that was all Draco had to say.

Around ten minutes past and neither of the two Slytherins said anything to each other. Draco then heard more booming laughter and watched as Weasley and Potter stumbled through towards the entrance hall, followed by a reluctantly giggling Granger. Weasley and Potter had food stuck to their hair, uniform and faces. Blaise turned round to follow Draco's line of sight before returning to his food. Draco pretended to ignore Zabini when he muttered "You're in love with an idiot" but grinned to himself when he agreed.

**A lack of colour – death cab for cutie**

It taught me that some boys actually do have feelings.


	4. You're something beautiful

**You're something beautiful**

"A complex warming spell has been issued around _Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry _in the early hours of this morning. The ministry of magic had expressed concern, for the discomfort the students of Hogwarts have been experiencing, several times in the last week. Parents are thrilled to hear that the suffering their children have had to endure for the last few weeks is finally ov- Harry, are you even listening to me?"

It was a lovely Friday morning and generous amounts of sunlight were entering the castle. Hermione had been reading an article over the noise of bustling students in the great Hall. Everyone was gleefully talking about the wonderful surprise that had uplifted every student at Hogwarts; soft enchanted warmth had been spread throughout the grounds. She slammed the newspaper down in front of her and ignored the round moist patch emerging in the middle, coming from her morning cereal. Harry was still robotically nodding whilst staring past Hermione's bushy head, at the gloomy figure of Draco Malfoy across the hall.

Malfoy had been chewing the same piece of toast for the last ten minutes. When Malfoy first looked up, his face reddened when he saw the Harry was indiscreetly staring at him. The tense confusion pouring into Malfoy's features every time he looked up from his plate, darkly satisfied Harry as it confirmed that Draco had no idea what Harry's thoughts on him currently were. It had been two days since they had kissed.

Hermione turned round to see where Harry's attention was fixed and was not surprised at all to be looking at a cheerless Draco poking his morning toast. Sighing, Hermione turned round back to Harry. Knowing that Hermione's long awaited _talk_ was about to be thrust upon him, Harry picked up his heavy fork and nudge his scrambled egg with discontent. He graciously waited for Hermione to begin talking.

When a few moments of silence between the pair followed, Harry muttered "I'm surprised you and Ron haven't talked to me about the 'me-and-Malfoy' situation yet."

Looking up from his plate, he saw Hermione's eyebrows were furrowed as she thought about what to say. She exhaled and said, in a too soft voice, "You kissed him. That's all...or is there more to it?" She asked this question politely; it sounded almost indifferent. However her brown eyes were wide with growing curiosity.

Harry tilted his head back down slowly and stared at his, now cold, breakfast. Yes. There was so much more to it. More than Hermione could possibly understand. Harry had always been obsessed with Draco ever since he turned down his arrogant offer of friendship in their first year. He had risked being expelled several times in just the first two years of Hogwarts for him; to duel Malfoy in the middle of the night and to question him in the second year. He had (unfortunately, there was no other word for it) _stalked_ Malfoy in the sixth year. He was always determined to beat him at Quidditch, was horrifically jealous of his talent in Potions and tried to ignore the fact Malfoy was so refined and gorgeous. Harry was envious to how confidently Malfoy portrayed himself as he strutted around the castle, easily unaffected by the tragedy surrounding him; the ones that always seem to eat Harry alive.

Obviously, this mysterious icy exterior had vanished this year, replaced with a tense, mournful boy who floated from place to place, disregarding everyone's presence; apart from his friends…and Harry. Harry understood Malfoy and his interest in him increased dramatically in the last few months. Harry began to worry about him. Malfoy had become unreadable and weirdly delicate.

But when Hermione recently mentioned that Malfoy stared at Harry constantly, Harry became strangely happy…seemed that there was still something human about Draco after all.

And now, Harry was annoyed with himself. He _should_ be feeling guilty because he 'gave Malfoy the wrong idea.' Instead he was feeling guilty because he gave Malfoy the _right_ idea and was causing Malfoy all this unnecessary anguish simply because Harry did not have enough courage to go for Draco, like Harry quite obviously wanted to. Plus, Harry did not like admit he was being a coward. He reasoned pushing Draco away with him being a Death Eater's son. But that was the biggest load of bullshit and Harry knew it. Draco wasn't evil. He was just…unlucky…

Harry had accepted that there would be always something that oddly draws him to Malfoy long ago…but when Malfoy had kissed him, it all became too real too quickly.

Harry had become silent as he thought all this over, not looking up from his plate. So Hermione decided to continue speaking again several moments later.

"Quite honestly we're not sure what to make of it. I was certain Malfoy liked you long before I told you. And Ron…finds the fact _you_are holding back hilarious."

Hermione was happily eating her cereal again when Harry dropped his fork and looked at her angrily before hissing "Holding BACK?"

Hermione smiled merrily at Harry as she said "Oh come on Harry. He kissed you and when you found us, you were hopelessly confused and flustered. Plus, I know you've been thinking about it ever since."

Hermione's smiled widened when Harry blushed furiously and muttered quietly to himself. Hermione raised her eyebrows. Harry copied her expression mockingly. Harry pursed his lips, knowing he was better off just admitted he liked Draco. But he continued to be defiant since Hermione clearly enjoyed being all knowing and making others realise the obvious. Hermione sighed and her eyelashes fluttered downwards while she watched her hands as she placed her spoon back carefully in her empty bowl with a soft _clang_. When she looked back up at Harry, her eyes were filled with empathy rather than amusement. Harry frowned.

The babble of the students around them had drowned slightly since many of the students had already left. Hermione titled her head gently whilst earnestly saying "Harry, you either switch-off-and-ponder…" She exhaled through her nose, clearly about to say something she's been holding back for a while. "…or stare at Malfoy's pretty little face, when it isn't staring at you. And it's been that way for a long time."

Harry composed himself to look as blank as possible. Once again, Hermione had succeeded in knowing abso-fuckling-luetly everything. She shrugged and picked up her bag, taking her eyes off Harry for a moment. She squarely looked back at him and placed her hand on his balled fist. Hermione then, rather bluntly, said "It's true."

Harry slid his hand free, picked up his bag and slid the strap onto his shoulder. He huffed from the added weight. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw platinum blonde hair moving. Turning his head, Harry's green eyes followed Draco as he glumly left the table, following Pansy and Zabini rather reluctantly. Harry thought for a moment before looking Hermione straight in the eyes. "I'll talk to him after Potions, 'kay?"

Hermione smiled and nodded enthusiastically before they left the cosy Great Hall to head towards the dungeons.

xxxxxx

"Oh shit." Harry said quietly whilst picking up a piece of card that had been placed on a wooden table against the middle of the far left wall in his potion's classroom. 'Harry Potter' had been written on it in dark blue ink, next to another identical piece of card that had 'Draco Malfoy' written elegantly on it. Harry ignored Ron's quiet chuckle from behind.

Professor Slughorn strode in, followed by several students walking into the classroom who began searching for their name cards. Slughorn looked over the moon as he gestured to the pupils in the classroom to sit down.

"Now now, I've placed the new seating arrangements slightly early this year, because I thought some of the pairs had turned out quite, ahem, badly." The Professor narrowed his eyes as he watched Seamus and Zabini walk in, as they glared at each other. Three lessons ago, Zabini had called Seamus a Muggle-twat so Seamus discretely poured a potion into Zabini's bag which caused his hands to swell when he reached into it.

Then, the Potion professor's voice became a distant, insignificant murmur. When Harry followed Slughorn's eyes to see who he was glaring at, Harry saw the dashing blonde Slytherin wander into the classroom behind Zabini. He watched as Draco's light grey eyes scanned the room from the far right corner, around to the left. Draco saw that there were no spaces left to fill…apart from of course, the vacant seat next to Harry. Draco bit his lip slightly but tried his best to not change his expression as he walked forward, over to the dark table. He glided past Harry's seat and dropped into his own and leant the side of his forehead on the cold wall, thinking about how truly unbearable this was going to be.

Parchments fluttered across the classroom, three landing in front of every pair. It was a simple enough task. Slughorn walked around placing a dark pot on every table. Each contained a nearly complete love-potion antidote, which only needed to be stirred correctly to be finished. On one parchment was a list of the various complicated hand movements needed, each one matching to a certain ingredient or boiling temperature, and on the other parchment was instructions to how the Potion was made.

"Simply use the order of the instruction and the stirring movements needed; which you should all be familiar with by now. Write down the order you think is most suitable, confirm with me and then get going." He beamed at his class before turning his back to them as he headed for his desk, indicating that they may begin.

Draco reached out a pale shaking hand and pulled the three parchments towards him, knowing it was highly unlikely Potter knew what to do. He turned away from Harry to reach down into his bag to pull out his long emerald green quill. Draco smiled briefly, thinking about what it reminded him of. He did not see Harry tap the blank parchment they needed to fill out, replicating it, but he did hear Potter when he started to speak in that husky voice.

"I'll do it from step twenty-nine…that alright?" Harry wasn't looking at him as he spoke since he was leaning away from Draco into his own bag to pull out his things. Draco just nodded sharply when Harry glanced at him due to the lack of response.

The fact the pair didn't speak to each other in the classroom was even worse than when they had been in detention, since a loud rumble of noise was surrounding them this time; it made the silence between them enhanced and it separated them from everyone else. Draco was glad he had done the work set on this complicated piece on brewing since his mind was drowning because of Harry. Harry Harry Harry.

'_Harry Potter is truly __**remarkable**__,'_ Draco thought bitterly a year ago. '_Not only he's the world's saviour, oh no. He's bloody dazzling too. Not that everyone notices…'_

Draco smirked slightly as he worked, remembering how unnerved he was when he first noticed how good-looking Harry had become. Glancing at Potter as he concentrated on his work, Draco took in his features for the millionth time. He still wore those stupid round glasses and they usually concealed those sparkling eyes but when you're this close to him, you can see them shooting through. They contrasted with his jet black unruly hair, which he ran his hand through every now and then, forcing himself to concentrate. Also, he always seemed to be pouting.

Scents were rolling effortlessly from Harry; from his shampoo, his skin and his breath (since he was breathing rather heavily for some reason). Draco smelt a hint of apples and the familiar strong, heavy scents that were Harry himself.

When Draco was finished, he placed his quill down and stared at Harry's left hand which was sitting directly next to his own. Harry's skin was unnaturally luminous. Draco's mother always said that people with a great deal of magic running thought them had slightly sparkling skin. Draco glanced at his own pale skin and saw nothing but blunt washed-out flesh. He was nothing like Potter. You'd expect Potter to be really dark from prancing around in the grounds, forest and Quidditch pitch all the time but he only had a faint tan. '_Perhaps it was because it was winter. Must be fading.' _Draco thought.

Then once again, their hands brushed when Harry unconsciously stretched his left arm out slightly. Not that they knew, but a parallel flashing force was sent up each of their spines and fell brutally into their stomachs, churning them tightly and forcing them to be at full alert of the other's presence. Bloody Weasley was sniggering again, having noticed the way the two boys' eyes shot up at one another after the brief contact. Both Harry and Draco had goosebumps, as they turned there attention back down towards the desk, even though the dungeons were strangely warm due to the newly established magic.

Halfway through the lesson, a screwed up piece of parchment floated through the miniscule gap between the boys' shoulders. Each noticed the disturbance and watched as it hovered momentarily over the table before falling feebly to the desk. It unravelled on its own accord. Written on it with roughly smudged black ink was;

_H,_

_Stop being annoying. You're pissing me and Herm off._

_R_

Harry turned around to give Ron a piercing scowl which was contradicted by the blush that had jumped back onto Harry's face. He knew what the note was about. When seeing Harry's flushed face, Ron began hooting with laughter. Malfoy also turned round, as Ron leant his elbows on the table whilst burying his face in his hands, trying to cover his muffled laughter…the fact he was shaking gave him away. Hermione, who had somehow ended up being his partner, looked up from the Potion she was watching to roll her eyes at the two boys.

Towards the end of the lesson, something rather stupid happened. Zabini, who was sitting it front of Harry and Draco, turned round to swear at Seamus, since he had kicked Zabini in the shins on his way to the front desk. When he began insulting Seamus' boyfriend Dean, Seamus threw an inkpot at Zabini when he had his back turned. Draco saw this so stopped stirring the potions rapidly. He whipped out his wand to send a vanishing charm towards the inkpot as it flew across the room towards Blaise. Unfortunately, only the glass disappeared so the ink landed on everyone in the middle row. Slughorn, as usual, did not seem to care.

Laughing, Harry turned to Draco and completely forgot to hold their much easier to handle silence when he said "That made it better."

Draco grinned back at him and said "Better than glass smashing into someone's _vulnerable little face_."

As he said the last part, he leant forward and sharply poked the back of Zabini's head with his wand. Blaise twisted around slowly and muttered threateningly "Fuck you Draco." before turning back to his desk.

Draco shifted back into his seat and grinned at Harry again. But slowly, Draco's smile weakened and faded away as he stared into Harry's endless and devastatingly green eyes as they twinkled with amusement. Harry noticed Draco's distracted faint expression as he gazed at him but Harry did not stop himself as he returned the stare. The noise from their fellow students around them seemed to fade into a mumble.

They watched each other for a while until Harry gulped and turned away. He pretended to focus his attention on the homework written on the board and desperately tried to ignore the fact that the side of his leg was pressing against Malfoy's. Harry's hands were shaking again so he discretely pressed his knuckles into the rigid table.

Draco had fixed his attention back to the bubbling purple potion as he continued to absentmindedly stir, as instructed. His vision blurred from a haze of purple edged with the darkness of the cauldron into a sheer dark mist as Draco thought about how Harry was acting. The dark fog poured into Draco senses as he daydreamed. Harry was also all unfocused. He had gazed back at Draco. Harry was breathing heavily like Draco. Plus, Draco could feel Harry's thigh pressing into his own and he had not moved it away. And memories of Harry's body pressed close to him flooded back to him as the darkness grew thicker...

"Ummm, Malfoy?"

Harry had already packed away his things since he clearly had nothing to do. When Harry noticed the cauldron was no longer boiling, he glanced at Malfoy's glazed grey eyes which were full of thoughts. Harry tapped Malfoy on the shoulder since Malfoy had been distractedly staring at the dark stone wall for quite a while. Malfoy gingerly turned and gulped when he re-latched his eyes onto Harry's. Harry turned his attention back to the cauldron before gripping Draco's wrist and dragging the spoon out of the cauldron. Malfoy diverted his gaze onto the spoon…since he had left it in there for so long, the cauldron had burn it and left it as a twisted black rod.

Draco dipped his head down as he dropped what is left of the spoon onto the table and snickered. He kept his head down to conceal his smile as he listened to Harry laugh slightly too. Malfoy looked up at Harry, who was once again staring blankly into Draco's stormy eyes. Harry was thankful that the class was no longer deadly silent due to Snape's glares and scary over shadowing power. No one would over hear them. But just to be safe (from Ron...), Harry spoke quite quietly.

"Is it worth…fighting? This…This…" Unable to explain, Harry simply gestured at himself and Draco, indicating this _thing_ that had been bubbling on the surface.

Draco shook his head roughly and felt something flip violently in his stomach when Harry smiled at him. Draco tried to keep his voice steady when he murmured "Something's holding you back though." The old Draco started swearing furiously in his head because of how wounded he sounded. He didn't care though. He hopelessly liked Harry. So what?

Harry's smile faded but he made a small huff of amusement before mumbling "…and what's holding me back exactly?" His dark eyelashes fluttered to his lap before quivering back up to Draco's handsome face, waiting patiently for a response.

Knowing that he had no control over his dazed expression or sharp jolts running up his spine whenever he saw Harry's emerald eyes pierce through his own eyes like that, Draco muttered "You tell me Potter."

Harry looked away from Draco to stare at the desk. His expression now looked oddly angry. "Just me and my ridiculous notions. Plus me being fixed in the past."

Draco interrupted Harry before he could continue. Very frankly, he said "I've changed Harry."

Harry couldn't help it. He gulped when he heard Draco say his name. No one said it quite like he did. "I know that."

A distant cry of the school bell ran through the classroom and was followed by the rapid shuffling of footsteps, parchments, scraping of chairs and chattering between students in the corridors. Draco gathered his quills and books onto the edge of the table, but kept glancing at Harry's blank expression as he watched him. "I still don't know what the fuck you're getting at." Draco said, sounding rather angry as he dragged his arms towards him, pushing his belonging into his bag. Harry frowned but didn't move from his seat. Nor did Draco.

Shaking his head at Harry slightly, Draco placed his bag on his shoulders. He was wide eyed from Harry's blank expression and lack of reply. Far behind them, Ron, Hermione, Pansy and Zabini were standing at the doorway, watching the pair with mixed expressions of perplexity and interest. Draco stood up while darkly saying "SO confusing."

Harry grinned and stood up in front of Malfoy. They were almost nose to nose, just inches away from one another. The enchanted heat swirling through the towers of Hogwarts would never compare to the heat that swayed off of Potter. Harry chuckled when he saw Draco's eyes widening even more and felt his deepening breathes brush his mouth. Harry's gaze switched for a split second to look at Malfoy's lips, which Malfoy mirrored. Harry said "There's somethi-"

But Harry was interrupted by the scream of "WHAT THE FUCK IS GOI-MPPH!" from Pansy Parkinson. Before she could to finish her perfectly reasonable question, Blaise shoved his hands over her mouth to contain her confused, angry muffled screams.

Quite easily, Blaise pinned her squarely to the ground whilst hissing "WILLYOUSHUTTHEHOLYFUCKUP!_" _Ron was naturally laughing like crazy and Hermione smiled slightly with glee, glancing between Pansy and Zabini.

Harry poked Draco to get his attention back, who turned his head to look back at Harry. Harry opened then closed his mouth. He sighed and decided to say "I'll see you later" rather than over complicated things by trying to explain the things he was feeling. He was never good at that. Smiling at Draco, Harry turned away and left the room with Hermione and Ron…who was still cackling.

Draco smiled, still fixed in the place where Harry had left him. He walked away from the desk and up to Blaise and Pansy. Blaise jumped off of Pansy and both boys reached out their hands to help Pansy up. Staggering slightly, Pansy readjusted her askew robes and did not notice the fact her short black hair was a mess. She scowled at them both in turn venomously. Pansy huffed and said through gritted teeth "Explain." Draco sniggered and stalked out the room whilst signalling that Pansy and Blaise should follow him out of the classroom.

xxxxxx

The Slytherin trio did not see the three Gryffindors again until they walked into the Great Hall at dinner. Draco, Blaise and Pansy spotted them eating merrily at their own table, talking to Seamus and Dean. As soon as Draco walked through the doors, Harry's eyes met his, crinkling slightly when he beamed at him. Draco's breath hitched before he could register that he should be smiling back at him. Blaise rolled his eyes at Pansy before grabbing Draco's arm and pulling him towards the Slytherin table. Blaise planted Draco on a seat and slid down next to him while Pansy sat opposite them and dragging a plate of rice towards her. Draco discretely smiled at his two friends and began eating his dinner.

"That Potter boy has always been a bit of a dumbass in my eyes." Pansy said conversationally, not looking up to see Draco's reaction. Draco just frowned but did not say anything to allow her to continue. "I mean, he clearly just wanted to say 'Hello Draco, we may have been enemies but I fancy you now and it's ok if we snog all the time in the corridors.' But instead he comes out with 'Is it worth f-f-f-fighting these, ummm, sexual urges? I MEAN, UMMM…f-feelings?' Such a tosser…"

Blaise Zabini choked on his pumpkin juice before cackling with laughter. Draco felt his face would never return to its normal colour.

**Little shadow – The Yeah Yeah Yeahs**

I'm truly in love with this band at the moment. Her coarse voice reaches out to me as I bop along, pretending to have a sense of rhythm. This song invokes patience, understanding and affection; things Harry is now allowing himself to experience.

…Thank God that acceptance, of what his long dragged fascination with Mr Malfoy really is, has finally punched Harry in the face.


	5. a contradiction

**A contradiction**

Harry opened his eyes to pitch black surroundings and ran his left hand through his hair. As he sat up, cold darkness hit his exposed face and chest, biting at his skin slightly. Turns out the magical enchantment warming the Hogwarts grounds was not placed at night. Harry squinted. He reached over to his left where he knew the nearest flat surface was; his glasses would probably be there. Harry's numb finger tips ran over the cold wood and soon touched cold metal rims and glass. He grabbed his glasses and forced them onto his face. Harry swung his legs over the bed and threw on his robes, sat waiting for him on the floor. Underneath his robes were just his boxers.

Harry quickly decided he'd then head to the common room.

He walked quietly towards his shoes by the door, through the sound of snores and splutters coming from his roommates. As he slipped his feet into the freezing material of his trainers, the cold crept through Harry's robes. The door squeaked enthusiastically as he pushed it open a little and slipped outside towards the staircase.

Harry reached the common room faster than he expected. The warmth of the flames was a nice comfort and a small echoing chime joined the cackling fire. Harry frowned when he saw it was only a modest 10 o'clock. Looking around, Harry saw the glow of the fire pour throughout the room, allowing the golden furnishings to stand out from the dark wooden floorboards. He saw various pieces of parchments lying on the floor, quills left sitting on the desk and an abandoned game of chess on the rug. He did not want to sit here with nothing to do. So, feeling motivated for a walk, Harry headed towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.

But then Harry heard a familiar voice.

"Can't sleep?"

Harry turned his head towards the fireplace where he had vaguely heard the voice coming from. It was only then that he noticed bushy hair resting on the back of an armchair facing the flames. She was sat with her back to him. Harry smiled and said, "The top of your head looks like a fluffy cushion."

Hermione laughed and got up. She was wearing blue pyjamas with small snitches stitched on them. Harry nodded at what she was wearing and said, "Ron would like those."

Hermione ignored him and said, "Are you going to look for him?"

Harry smiled faded when he said, "Maybe…"

"Harry, it's ok that you like him. He's different know…I can tell."

When Harry did not say anything in reply, Hermione added, "Me and Ron just want you to be happy." Hermione then hugged him and walked up to the girls' dormitories without looking back. When she was gone, Harry smiled warmly.

He had, probably, the greatest friends in the whole wizarding world.

After a moment standing alone, Harry walked through the portrait hole, apologized to the Fat Lady who tried to throw a bottle at him. She forgot she was in a paining.

Harry had been walking through the well-known shadows for around 10 minutes yet he had not come across any teachers or ghosts; hardly anybody patrolled anymore since no student within Hogwarts felt the need to stride around the castle at night. From the corner of his eye, Harry noticed a shimmer cut through the night, coming from the trophy room. Since there was nothing better to do, Harry walked inside.

Reflections of sliver and gold came from every angle. Harry stepped through the division within the middle of the room before choosing the last row to his right to observe, right in front of the window. Even though the moonlight coming in from the window was minimal, it was enough to give each shield an eerie independent shine. Harry walked slowly and read several Quidditch trophies. It was when he ran his fingers down the list of successful Keepers from 1840 to present, looking for familiar surnames, that Harry heard the unmistakeable thud of a footstep enter the trophy room. Harry ducked out of the light coming from the window and tried to keep his breathing quiet so he could listen to any patter of footsteps. His heartbeat increased as he tried to keep his breathing silent and steady. His eyes scanned the room fast but every angle looked the same. Every trophy reflected the same light and the darkness surrounding them was consistent. Listening hard, Harry heard nothing unusual. The breeze running alone in the room whistled into Harry's ears. Was someone there? After several more moments of no noise, or activity that Harry could spot, Harry decided it was clear. Relief filled him but Harry still trodded carefully out from underneath the light, before standing beside the window frame. But, before he turned to leave, a force constricted his arms and legs and dragged him through the rest of the row of shields and into a tiny broom cupboard. The door snapped shut.

Harry's eyes widened with panic but he did not shout for help. No light entered the cupboard but Harry could feel warm breath brush his right cheek. Someone was standing very close to him. Harry began to shake uncontrollably, trying to push away the constraints on his body. A familiar chuckle stabbed at his ears. Harry's eyes shot around, expecting to see white blonde hair stand out and speak to him. Harry's cheeks burned; they always did whenever he heard Draco Malfoy laugh.

"Relax, Harry," Draco's voice whispered through the darkness. He sounded amused.

Harry fidgeted. His heart was racing again. Malfoy grabbed Harry and switched their places. Excessive sparks ran through Harry's spine. Now Malfoy stood in Harry's way. Harry began to move around noisily in the space. Malfoy pinched Harry's arm sharply and calmly whispered "Filch is out there. He knows I'm around here somewhere."

Harry whined loudly at the thought of getting into detention for sneaking around _again_. He started to talk in a load croak, his best attempt to show his anger but stay quiet. "OH PERFECT, JUST FUCKING PERF-MPPFFFH!"

Draco had pushed his hand over Harry's mouth before pressing his own ear against the oak door. Draco's hand was icy. Harry's skin was becoming increasingly hot. From the other side of the oak door, Draco and Harry could hear the sound of someone thudding around the trophy room. Draco pressed his hand harder into Harry's mouth until the back of Harry's head hit the wall. This may have been one of the most uncomfortable positions that Harry had been in. His head and neck was pinned against the wall, his arms were knitted to his sides and his legs were glued together at a bent, awkward angle and his feet had slid to the left slightly. Plus, on the other side of the door was one of Harry's least favourite people, trudging around looking for him. And the fact that it was _Draco Malfoy's_ hand holding Harry's face did not help calm Harry's raising heartbeat.

Draco sighed and lent towards Harry when he saw that Harry was still so uneasy. He got so close, that his eyes were only two inches away from Harry's. Maybe Harry was imagining it but the outlines of Draco's eyes seemed to glow with an unknown grey light. Harry's mind clouded over as he stared at them, shivers running through him as he saw that Draco stared back.

"I only put you in here, because I did not want you to get caught." Draco whispered, with indisputable concern in his voice as his hand gently moved across Harry's cheek. Harry insides melted at Draco's thoughtfulness. Draco made him feel weak.

"Who would have thought you'd turn into someone so noble, Draco." Harry whispered.

Draco scoffed and muttered, "Who knows? Maybe I've always been a contradiction."

After a few minutes, the sound of Filch's footsteps seemed to leave the trophy room and enter the corridor. Draco tapped Harry's abdomen with his wand, causing blood to rush back to Harry's arms and legs rapidly. Harry stumbled slightly as soon as the support left him, ultimately allowing him to bang his head on a shelf. The following crashes of buckets and objects falling from the shelves and landing on the stone floor was enough to wake the entire castle.

After everything stopped clanging, Draco said, "Co-ordinated as usual, Harry."

"It's because I don't have a map," Harry said.

The door had opened so Harry could see Draco turn round and look at him. He had a strong amount of worry and amusement written all over his face.

"You are aware that that did not make any sense?" Draco asked smirking.

Harry, feeling stupid, nodded but did not stay anything. He did not trust himself. His head ached when it moved because it felt like a brick was moving inside his skull. Draco stepped forward, deeper into the cupboard, so he was standing directly in front of Harry, and said, "You're still holding the shelf. Are you alright?"

Harry nodded again, but when he let go of the shelf, he got head rush. A sudden burning pain poured into Harry's crown where he had hit it. His vision blurred and veins throbbed in his forehead. Harry passed out, landing face down on the floor with a dead _thump_, with a swift cloud of dust rising around him.

"Brilliant." Draco said quietly. He then grabbed Harry's arms and threw one over his shoulders in order to drag Harry out of the trophy room. Draco could not help but smirk slightly when he noticed that underneath Harry's long black robes, were only green boxers.


	6. I wanna play the game

It is not an understatement to say that Draco did not enjoy dragging a very heavy Harry Potter through Hogwarts. The eerie rustles and flutters of magical interiors and the layered history so proudly embedded throughout the castle…were all sliced open by the horrid sound of Harry's trainers scraping on the floor. With much difficulty, Draco manoeuvred Harry out of the trophy room, away from the metal objects that would, if knocked, clatter like bombs.

When the Gryffindor and the Slytherin reached the Entrance Hall, Draco inspected every direction, scanning ideas as they fell upon him. The marble staircase seemed endless with the moonlight dragging down its expanse, forming long thing shadows on every step. Ideally, he would take Potter to the come and go room but the idea of pulling Potter all the way to the _seventh floor_ was deeply unwelcoming to Draco's already throbbing arms. According to all the empty archways and silence drifting through the air, Malfoy could go anywhere in the castle…

A stroke of wonderful inspiration jumped into the blonde boy's mind.

Draco dropped the Gryffindor in the middle of the hall, not really caring if Harry would get anymore hurt, as he ran in the desired direction. He fed his way through the raging darkness making chills run through his spine due to the gripping cold.

'_Just what I expected,' _Draco thought ecstatically, flutters flying in his stomach as he drowned for a moment in the surrounding beauty he had plunged into. Draco then ran back to the knocked out boy, his footsteps tapping away behind him. The blonde gripped Harry's side and supported all of his weight before dragging him…into the Great Hall.

Not a single soul in this world can comprehend this astounding combination of classic wizarding architecture and the overwhelming sight of a clear heaven, unless they have seen it for themselves. Even if the ceiling was not a gateway, the interior of the hall was magnificent enough. Carved out of stone, the curvature and detail in the walls were always splendid in the candlelight. However, at this moment, no man-made haze was any where; there were only the stars_._ Even at a second glance, Draco could not help but glue his eyes upwards as he carried Potter again to the centre of the hall. The midnight blue spilled over the walls and floor like paint. Sprinkles of random colours of every end of the spectrum scattered all over the ceiling, shimmering in unison, blinking madly, as Draco raked his eyes over them. Not a single cloud in sight.

It was like something from a fantasy, this split world.

Draco placed Harry down on the ground as he took of his own robes, revealing a pale shirt and expensive khaki trousers. With a clever spell, Draco thickened the material of his Hogwarts robes. He draped it on the ground before rolling Harry onto it, so he was facing upwards.

The Slytherin was about to lie down also but he paused to watch Harry breath. The starlight made Harry's face luminous in a bluish haze while his chest rose and fell. The dips in Harry's jaw and the shadow under his chin were drawn out using navy colouring. Harry's eyelashes fluttered as though he sensed Draco slide beside him, not once taking his eyes off Harry's face. Harry Potter currently looked like a man carved out of the smoothest blue stone.

Draco turned to look at the pearls, rubies and sapphires knitted to the sky in their thousands. He would not wake Harry; he was too intrigued as to what his first words would be when he saw where Draco had brought him.

* * *

Darkness is always odd when your eyes are shut. It is quite forced and feels almost unnatural.

Harry knew he was awake but he refused to entertain the slight throb in his forehead (for once not where his scar was) by opening his eyes straight away.

Instead, he lay there for a while, hoping the sensation would eventually leave him.

After a few more moments of hesitation, Harry quivered his eyes open slightly and was glad to see his glasses were somehow still on. The first sight Harry saw was like a smudged painting; too many colours hit his senses at once. It seemed to be hazy and shifted in and out of thick reams of black. Interested, Harry opened his eyes fully and felt his jaw unhinge.

Someone wonderful _must_ have placed Harry outside, in the middle of nowhere, away from muggle infestation with their cars, electricity and pollution. They had lay him down on hard ground and cut open the sky...so he could see everything the universe could offer. The astounded Harry grazed his eyes over the clusters of twinkling stars and breathed in heavy bates of warm air. He had not witnesses something so enchanting for a very long time.

"...Am...Am i dead?" Harry asked the sky, feeling woozy.

"Yes." A slurry voice to Harry's left said.

The Gryffindor beamed when he recognized the voice causing blood to rush to Harry's face and a cold rush to soar down to the small of his back. _'Who else drawled like that?'_

"Really?" Harry asked smiling whilst watching a thick light blue ream of stars glow.

"Oh yes, definitely." Draco replied. Harry sensed him move around next to him; sure enough, Malfoy had propped himself up an elbow as to look into Harry's face. The dark-haired teenager still watched the ceiling even though he could see bright blonde hair in the corner of his eye.

"How did I die?"

"You banged your head on a shelf in a broom cupboard."

Harry turned his head to watch the oddly blue Draco lie back down next to him, glancing into Harry's green eyes when he was once again completely on the floor. His porcelain skin mixed in with the night sky and his light eyes mirrored the Great Hall ceiling.

"It was so tragic." Draco Malfoy said slowly, with a gentle smirk.

Harry chuckled, not knowing Draco's eyes glazed at the sight.

"Weasley was so distraught." Draco continued, as he turned to watch the heavens. "He cried for days."

The open ceiling floated by with it's multi-coloured balls of lights, each blinking happily as the boys grew quite. After a while, Draco spoke again. "You know, the Weasel was so lonely that he had sex with Granger's demon cat, much to _Granger's _dismay."

Harry laughed so loudly in his husky tone that the sound rolled through the hall and echoed back profoundly. Draco grinned and asked, "I wonder for whom she felt the loss."

The dashing blond turned to look at Harry again when Harry pointed out, "You're mad."

Draco smiled. "Apparently, about you."

The boys faced each other, a burn floating on both of their cheeks.

"Let's talk," Harry said, his expression quite rigid with an air of authority.

The smile was still stuck on Draco's face. "What else are we doing?" Malfoy shifted closer to Potter. "That's all anyone ever does is talk and talk." His gaze trailed up the glowing features on Harry's face. "But fine, I give you the honourable pleasure of conversing with me.

"Lucky me," Harry said flatly, looking away.

Draco frowned slightly. "I wouldn't be in such a huff, Potter. So many would pay thousands of galleons to have the chance of a conversation with me."

"I'm sure."

"They would."

"Yes, that's why I said 'I'm sure.'"

"You were being sarcastic."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty sure."

"Well I wasn't."

"...Sure you weren't." Draco grinned turning to look up once again, etching his line of sight through a smudged red explosion of glittering dust resting near the centre of the navy blue.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" Draco asked earnestly.

"Ummm," Harry replied, searching for a shooting star. "About us?"

Draco paused. "Us?"

"Yes, us." Harry finished, glancing briefly at the Slytherin before being magnetized back to the view. Moments slipped by as the two wizards from the rival houses lay side by side, tiny specks laying in the great expanse of the old halls.

"I think we should go somewhere else." Harry said after a while. When Draco ignored him, he added, "We could get caught."

"...So?" Draco replied.

Harry furrowed his eyebrows as he considered what to say and huffed at Draco's typical insolence. He wanted him to see reason.

"We-..." Harry stopped and reason seemed to leave his state of mind also when he saw Draco move even closer to him. His heartbeat went into overdrive and the stars seemed to shine brighter. Regardless, Harry tried again.

"Umm, ...we-" Malfoy smirked when he head Harry gasp at the feel of the sharp skin on skin contact. Heavy breathing followed when Draco started nibbling on his left ear.

"We..._aaaaah_...we...we..."

A cold hand slid through Harry's robes and stroked his bare stomach causing ever hair on Harry's body to stand on full alert. Excitement flooded through him. His sentence was completely obliviated from his memory when a tender tongue ran a freezing trail up Harry's neck.

Harry turned his head slowly to face Draco, causing a pointy nose to move across Harry's cheek. The Gryffindor grinned as he watched the pair of grey eyes grow wider as Harry began to lean towards him. Flush breath caressed Harry's mouth as his grin grew wider; he knew Draco was anticipating his move. The hand in Harry's robes moved to his waist, gripping him gently. Harry Potter angled his head teasingly but did not touch Draco any further. He heard an angry sigh.

"Potter, stop smiling and playing around, and fucking kiss me _before _I get bored."


End file.
